“Bill Richardson dropped out of the presidential race Wednesday after a valiant effort,” the comedian wrote. “He needs to get back home. It’s been so long since he was in New Mexico the voters were starting to believe that they had outsourced the job of governor to India.”

Hamilton’s column is updated at 2 p.m. daily on the CNJ Web site. Click on the “More features” button below to access the link.

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The newspaper in Muskogee, Okla., reports Muskogee High School has retired the uniform number of basketball star Ron Milam.

Milam, a 1986 graduate of Muskogee High, also played basketball at Eastern New Mexico University.

U.S. Army Maj. Milam was killed when terrorists attacked the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

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Bill Gaedke plans to vote Gayla Brumfield for mayor.

“I have known her and her parents for about 30 years, and she has a proven track record in business and community affairs,” he wrote in an e-mail.

“I believe Gayla has the savvy needed to work closely with the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon (Air Force Base) and the extensive agribusiness of Clovis and surrounding communities.”

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Clair Zarges also is rooting for Brumfield.

“I am drawn (to Brumfield) because part of her platform includes dealing with recycling in Clovis. I am very concerned that a city of this size does not provide a way for its citizens to keep recyclables out of the waste stream.”

Those planning to vote “yes” to Sunday alcohol sales were leading the poll late Thursday night.

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State Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, is asking the Office of Education Accountability and others to “develop a plan to enhance the recruitment, preparation, mentoring, evaluation, professional development and support for school principals and other school leaders.”

“No longer is the principal just a disciplinarian who manages the conduct of students,” she wrote in an e-mail, explaining the issue. “He or she is also a leader of academic instruction for the teachers in the building.”

Kernan said there is concern with “principal turnover,” and a recent study shows principals are in need of professional development, mentoring and training “just as classroom teachers.”